High molecular weight chitin fibers were electrospun in a one-pot process directly from a 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate solution of chitin extracted from dried shrimp shell. Such a technology obviates the need not only for the many chemicals and the energy used in industrial isolation of chitin from crustacean shells but also saves the chemicals, energy, and time needed to prepare chitin spinning dopes.

A platform was developed for the surface modification of ionic liquid-spun chitin fibers, that provides the physical properties of chitin with chitosan's functional properties on the surface.